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Spacing Changes in the Actin and Myosin Filaments during Activation, and Their Implications

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Mechanisms of Work Production and Work Absorption in Muscle

Part of the book series: Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology ((AEMB,volume 453))

Abstract

Small but important axial spacing changes have been found to occur in the X-ray reflections from both the actin and myosin filaments when a muscle changes from the resting state to a state of isometric contraction1,2. The overall spacing change in the actin is an increase of approximately 0.25–0.30%, measured on the first actin meridional reflection at 27.3 Å. This implies a length increase of approximately 2.5–3.0 nm in the actin filaments in each half-sarcomere. This is an appreciable fraction of the total compliance measured in quick release experiments3, and therefore has a considerable effect on their interpretation.

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References

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Rosenstiel Basic Medical Sciences Research Center, Brandeis University, 415 South Street, Waltham, Massachusetts, 02254, USA

    Hugh E. Huxley & Alex Stewart

  2. BioCAT, Department BCPS, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicato, Illinois, 60616-3792, USA

    Tom Irving

Authors
  1. Hugh E. Huxley
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  2. Alex Stewart
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  3. Tom Irving
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Teikyo University, Tokyo, Japan

    Haruo Sugi

  2. University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA

    Gerald H. Pollack

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© 1998 Plenum Press, New York

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Huxley, H.E., Stewart, A., Irving, T. (1998). Spacing Changes in the Actin and Myosin Filaments during Activation, and Their Implications. In: Sugi, H., Pollack, G.H. (eds) Mechanisms of Work Production and Work Absorption in Muscle. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, vol 453. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-6039-1_33

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-6039-1_33

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4684-6041-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4684-6039-1

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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